The invention relates to a method for maintenance, repair and/or optimization of a battery which has, as components, a number of individual cells connected in series and/or in parallel to one another, having electrical terminal contacts which are connected to each other positively and/or firmly for electrical connection, directly or by means of cell connectors, forming an overlapping region, and a battery monitoring unit having a number of connection elements, the battery monitoring unit being connected positively and/or firmly to the electrical terminal contacts and/or to the cell connectors, forming a further overlapping region. Furthermore, the invention relates to a battery having a number of individual cells connected to one another electrically.
Generally, electrochemical high-voltage batteries for vehicle applications are known from prior art, which are formed from several individual cells connected electrically in series and/or in parallel. For the electrical series connection of the individual cells, the electrical terminals thereof are connected directly via an electrically conductive cell connector. Additionally, the electrical terminals of the respective individual cells and/or the cell connectors are electrically connected to a device for cell voltage measurement and for charge equalization, so-called balancing. The device for cell voltage measurement and for charge equalization is, as a rule, assembled in a battery electronic system for several individual cells. Here, a contacting of the electrical terminals of the individual cells with the cell connectors and the electrical terminals and/or the cell connectors with the device for cell voltage measurement and for charge equalization occurs by means of firm-bonding method, such as, for example, laser welding, resistance pressure welding, ultrasonic welding and/or by means of positive-bonding methods such as, for example toxing/clinching, crimping. These produced firm and/or positive connections ensure the respective function over the battery service life even with high mechanical, corrosive and/or thermal loading, wherein the respective connection is not able to be released without disruption.
In 102011120470.2, a battery is described, comprising a number of individual cells connected to one another in series and/or in parallel, wherein the electrical terminals thereof are connected to one another positively and/or firmly for electrical connection, directly or by means of cell connectors, and a battery monitoring unit, which is positively and/or firmly connected to the electrical terminals and/or to the cell connectors. Here, the electrical terminals of the individual cells, the cell connectors for electrical connection of adjacent individual cells and/or the battery monitoring unit respectively have redundant contacting regions for positive and/or firm connection, wherein respectively one of the contact regions which are redundant with respect to one another is connected positively and/or firmly, wherein the further contact region(s) is or are not connected. Additionally, a method for maintenance, repair and/or optimization of such a battery is described.
A further battery is described in DE 10 2009 035 477 A1 which comprises a plurality of individual cells which are connected to one another electrically in series and/or in parallel via cell connectors, wherein at least one cell connector has an integrated electrical fuse element for connection of the individual cells.
US 2012/0028098 A1 discloses a method for repair of a battery having two frames arranged on the front side which respectively have an upper side, a lower side and two sides arranged opposite each other. The front-side frame has, on at least one of the sides, a fixing element to receive a clamp. A frame arranged between the front-side frames likewise has an upper side, a lower side as well as two sides arranged opposite each other, wherein at least one of the sides has an edge. The individual cells arranged in the battery are thereby arranged in the frame and the front-side frame and are contacted electrically to each other via the upper sides of the frame. Furthermore, at least one coolant is arranged between the individual cells. In the method, a clamp is introduced into the fixing element in order to enable a compression of the battery. Then the battery is transported to a workshop by means of the clamp arranged in the fixing means, wherein the battery is supported during the transport by means of the edge. In order to obtain access to a lower side of the battery, the clamp is removed. Following this, the battery cells, the coolant and/or the frames are able to be repaired, wherein an electrical connection is furthermore ensured.
Furthermore, in KR 10-2012-0081402 A, CN 201893387 U, DE 10 2009 054 269 A1 and JP 2012069332 A, batteries as well as methods for repair and/or exchange of such batteries are described.
The object of the invention is to specify a method for maintenance, repair and/or optimization of a battery which is improved relative to prior art, as well as an improved battery having a number of individual cells connected to one another electrically.
In a method for the maintenance, repair and/or optimization of a battery which has, as components, a number of individual cells connected to one another in series and/or in parallel, having electrical terminals which are connected to one other positively and/or firmly for electrical connection, directly or by means of cell connectors, forming an overlapping region, and/or a battery monitoring unit having a number of connection elements which are connected positively and/or firmly to the electrical terminals and/or to the cell connectors, forming a further overlapping region, it is provided according to the invention that, to exchange a component, the positive and/or firm connection of the component to be exchanged to at least one component not to be exchanged is separated directly next to the overlapping region and a replacement component is connected positively and/or firmly to the overlapping regions of the at least one component not be exchanged by means of the electrical terminals or connection elements thereof, forming a respective, new overlapping region.
It is possible by means of the method to remove components of the battery for repair, maintenance and/or exchange, wherein the electrical terminals or the connection elements of the components to be exchanged are separated and the respective overlapping region on the at least one component not be exchanged remains, such that this is furthermore connected firmly to a detached section of the terminal or of the connection element of the component to be exchanged. Therefore, the component to be exchanged can be disassembled from the battery in a simple manner, wherein a risk of damage to the at least one component not to be exchanged is minimized. For the assembly of the replacement component, this is connected firmly and positively to the already present joint connection of the at least one component not to be exchanged with its terminals or connection elements. Costs and time during maintenance, repair and/or optimization of the battery can thereby be reduced in a profitable manner.
For the disassembly of the component to be exchanged, the positive and/or firm connection of the component to be exchanged to the at least one component not to be exchanged is separated by means of sheet cutting, grinding, milling, sawing, laser cutting, water jet cutting and/or micro-flame cutting. Therefore, the positive and/or firm connection can optionally be separated by means of generally known mechanical methods using a tool contact or by means of contactless methods.
In the event that the replacement component is an individual cell, then the electrical terminal contacts thereof are angled in such a way that these are each able to be arranged below or above the overlapping region of the at least one individual cell not to be exchanged. Therefore, the terminal contacts, in the assembled state, have a position which is offset to the terminal contacts or connection elements of the disassembled individual cells, the position enabling these to be arranged on or under the overlapping regions of the at least one individual cell not to be exchanged. Therefore it is possible to firmly and positively connect the individual cells to the at least one individual cell not to be exchanged via the already present joint points.
If the replacement component is alternatively the battery monitoring unit, then the connection elements thereof are angled in such a way that these are able to be arranged above the overlapping region of the individual cells arranged respectively in the battery. Therefore, the connection elements, in the assembled state, have a position which is offset to the connection elements of the disassembled battery monitoring unit, the position enabling these to be arranged on the overlapping regions of the individual cells arranged in the battery. Therefore it is possible to firmly and positively connect the battery monitoring unit to the individual cells via the already present joint points.
If the replacement component is an individual cell and thereby formed in particular as a bipolar flat-cell frame, the firm and/or positive connection of the individual cell to the at least one individual cell not to be exchanged is produced by means of ultrasonic welding. For this purpose, an ultrasonic welding tool, consisting of an anvil and a high-frequency sonotrode, is used, between which the new overlapping region is arranged, wherein a mechanically stable firm and positive connection is able to be produced between the individual cells by means of the sonotrode.
If the replacement component is an individual cell formed as a pouch cell or the battery monitoring unit, the positive and/or firm connection of the pouch cell to the at least one pouch cell not to be exchanged or the positive and/or firm connection of the battery monitoring unit to the individual cells of the battery is produced by cold soldering. This enables reduced effort compared to ultrasonic welding since the arrangement of the ultrasonic welding tool, in particular the anvil and the sonotrode, is problematic in the case of individual cells formed as pouch cells or the battery monitoring unit due to the comparably small overlapping regions. For cold soldering, here soldered sheets are arranged on the new overlapping regions which have an exothermically reactive material. The reaction of the material can here be caused by means of a short current pulse, such that it is possible, for example, to couple the battery to a resistor and therefore to use the electrical energy of the battery for cold soldering.
A battery has, as components, a plurality of individual cells connected to one another in series and/or in parallel, having electrical terminal contacts which are connected to one another positively and/or firmly for electrical connection, directly or by means of cell connectors, forming an overlapping region, and a battery monitoring unit having a number of connection elements which are connected to the electrical terminal contacts and/or to the cell connectors in a positive and/or firm manner, forming a further overlapping region. According to the invention, a replacement component has terminal contacts or connection elements angled in such a way that this is arranged respectively above and/or below the overlapping region with a component connected to the replacement component, wherein a new overlapping region is formed.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below by means of drawings.